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Thursday, 16 December 2010

Salon du Livre et Papiers Anciens - Greetings from Yesteryear

Greetings from Paris

We all know that Paris is a treasure trove for collecting beautiful works of art. As a printmaker and print collector, one of my favorite events is the Salon du Livre et Papiers Anciens held at Place de la Porte de Champerret. This event is normally held twice a year, in May and October. If you enjoy old books, newspapers (from the 1800's onwards), postcards, posters, documents and original prints, you're sure to find something you love. You can spend an entire day browsing the tables and still not manage to see it all (stop for a glass of wine and a bit of camembert or brie if you run out of steam). The sellers gather from all over France for these occasions, and it's a wonderful opportunity to see works on paper from the famous and not so famous, and items in every price range.

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1928 Best Wishes

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I've developed a liking for small prints that were sent as Christmas and New Year's cards or as invitations to exhibitions. This has always been, and continues to be, a favorite way for artists to share their work with friends.

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Invitation to a Print Show

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If you have a special interest, there are dealers that sell items by topic. If you have a particular artist in mind, they know their stock. The postcards are extremely well sorted. I was interested in finding some old postcards of the Lapin Agile and sure enough, I was able to find a few of scenes I'd never seen before. Paper works are taken seriously in France and it's a real pleasure to see the care that is taken in the preservation of prints and ephemera.

Not enough? They have fans, menus, advertising tins, paper ornaments.......it's truly heaven for anyone who loves work on paper!